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Date:         Mon, 15 Sep 2003 23:13:57 -0700
Reply-To:     David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
Subject:      Digifant high idle problem finally solved!
Comments: To: syncro@yahoogroups.com
In-Reply-To:  <3F66A799.7080902@arctic.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I know there are a few of us out there chasing our tails on a high idle problem on our Vanagons. Everyone says check the Idle Stabilizer Valve and the control unit for that valve that is behind the rear passenger light. Well, both of mine worked flawlessly.

The problem that I had was two things. First, the throttle switch wasn't closing the electrical connection at rest. When that was fixed the idle dropped a little and the runaway problem going downhill and in slow traffic was lessened.

The real problem turn out to be a very worn throttle valve. There was almost 2mm of up and down play in the throttle valve shaft, so much so that there was a grove worn into the wall of the throttle valve from the butterfly. So, I took a M12 washer that was almost 2mm thick, cut a notch into it and used it as a shim to keep the shaft with the butter fly in the correct position (give the washer a pinch so it doesn't slide out). This leaves the upper side of the butterfly mating up perfectly with the side wall of the valve but the bottom part (where it was incorrectly resting) has a deep valley cut into it. So... out came the JB weld and I sparingly filled in the valley with this neat stuff. When installing it ( I used a plastic wire tie strap ) make sure you have the valve held in the wide open position. Then when the JB weld is about as thick as jello (3 minutes after applying) slowly close the throttle valve as this will cause it to smooth out the JB weld and have a perfect mating surface with the now closed butterfly. Do this a few times to make sure nothing will be impeding the opening and closing of the throttle valve. When I was finished, if you hold up the throttle valve to the sky you could only see day light around where the idle screw is and VERY small bits around the rest of the butterfly - basically sealed right up when closed. I let the stuff cure under a heat lamp for a while and then reinstalled the throttle valve. After adjusting the initial idle speed via the adjusting screw, everything else fell into place and my 1986 Single Cab actually idles correctly for the first time in what was probably a long time.

David Marshall

Fast Forward Automotive Inc. 4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3

http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160

- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions - Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation - European Lighting for most Volkswagen models


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